The 23rd edition of the Atelier for Young Festival Managers

The Atelier will offer the opportunity to up to 35 young festival leaders and curators from all over the world to spend 7 days together guided by experienced festival leaders, cultural activists, cross-sector experts and artists in San Sebastian. The Atelier facilitates a global conversation about today’s challenges and the role that festivals, art and culture can play in these.

The Atelier is about innovating leadership, gaining new perspectives, exploring the essence and impact of festivals in a global context, share and exchange experiences and reflect on the topics that concern the participants.

The Atelier starts from the very essence of festivals –the arts, the artist and the audience– and all issues tackled during the training and in one way or another relate to this essence, why we do things, for whom and with whom.

We explore how festivals embody the possibility for creating opportunities for change through culture. Mentors and guest speakers go beyond their role as lecturers and act as true mentors who provide insightful feedback regarding the participant’s current professional stage. They also share their experiences and showcase how success and failure can incite growth.

Watch the aftermovies from our previous Ateliers to find out what they are all about!

Programme

The programme is addressed at emerging festival managers or those who have ambitions to get involved in programming in festivals. Participants broaden their programming skills, widen their horizons, and develop new project ideas under the professional guidance of renowned festival managers from all over the world who share their rich experience and guide participants throughout the 7 days. The Atelier focuses on the very essence of festival management – the arts, the artist and the audience.

The Atelier is about the participants!

About 35 participants will attend the Atelier in Valletta. The programme is focusing on the topics and issues raised by the participants which will be further developed and elaborated during the Atelier. These topics will be examined in panel discussions guided by renowned festival leaders from across the globe, but also in small working groups, thematic lunches, cross-discipline round tables and plenary sessions. Participants will be able to share and exchange their experiences and reflect on their topics. Mentors will share their rich experience and answer participants’ questions along the way. There is also space for more informal one-to-one talks during meals and cultural visits. The sharing of experiences on an equal footing and networking are key to the Atelier.

Variety of issues and diverse session formats

The Atelier creates opportunities for festival managers to reflect on the true mission of festivals and on their role in a globalised, fast and result-oriented world, and to network with their colleagues world-wide. For the next generation of festival managers it represents an outstanding occasion to imagine innovative, pioneering, and creative projects and festival formulae.

Themes discussed include:

• The artistic aspects of festival management, including artistic vision, political and social responsibility in relation to the cultural and artistic significance of a festival in its community or region, as well as internationalisation, inclusiveness, renewal and sustainability.
• Instruments such as communication, production or financing as far as they are relevant for the implementation of the artistic programme.
• Festivals as agents of change
• Audience development
• Curating and programming
• Global exchange and international collaboration